Online Library of Liberty: of Population. an Enquiry Concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind
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The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. William Godwin, Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind [1820] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 is the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. This title is also part of the Portable Library of Liberty DVD which contains over 1,000 books, audio material, and quotes about liberty and power, and is available free of charge upon request. The cuneiform inscription that appears in the logo and serves as a design element in all Liberty Fund books and web sites is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash, in present day Iraq. To find out more about Liberty Fund, Inc., or the Online Library of Liberty Project, please contact the Director at [email protected]. LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind Edition Used: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind, being an Answer to Mr. Malthus’s Essay on that Subject (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1820). Author: William Godwin About This Title: A lengthy and belated reply to Malthus by the radical individualist Godwin. Whereas Malthus took a pessimistic view of the pressures of population growth, Godwin was more optimistic about the capacity of people to limit the growth of their families. PLL v5 (generated January 22, 2010) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1720 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v5 (generated January 22, 2010) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1720 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind PLL v5 (generated January 22, 2010) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1720 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind Table Of Contents Preface. Postscript. Book I.: Of the Population of Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, In Ancient and Modern Times. Chapter I.: Introduction. Chapter II.: Survey of the Creation From Natural History. Chapter III.: General Views As to the Alleged Increase of Mankind. Chapter IV.: General View of the Arguments Against the Increase of Mankind. Chapter V.: Numbers of Mankind In Ancient and Modern Times. Chapter VI.: Illustrations From the History of China Chapter VII.: India. Chapter VIII.: South America. Chapter IX.: Paraguay. Chapter X.: Sparta. Chapter XI.: Rome. Chapter XII: Miscellaneous Observations. Chapter XIII.: Views of Man and Society Which Result From the Preceding Facts. Book II.: Of the Power of Increase In the Numbers of the Human Species, and the Limitations of That Power. Chapter I.: Proofs and Authorities For the Doctrine of the Essay of Population. Chapter II.: Animadversions On Mr. Malthus'ss, Authorities. Chapter III.: Principles Respecting the Increase Or Decrease of the Numbers of Mankind. Chapter IV.: Accounts Which Are Given of the Population of Sweden. Chapter V.: Inferences Suggestd By the Accounts of Sweden. Chapter VI.: Observations On the Swedish Tables Continued. Chapter VII.: Recapitulation of the Evidence of the Swedish Tables. Appendix to Chapters Iv, V, & VI. Chapter VIII.: Population of Other, Countries In Europe Considered Chapter IX.: Principles Respecting the Increase Or Decrease of the Numbers of Mankind Resumed. Chapter X.: Of the Population of England and Wales. Chapter XI.: Proofs of the Geometrical Ratio From the Phenomenon of a Pestilence. Dissertation On the Ratios of Increase In Population , and In the Means of Subsistence. By Mr. David Booth. Book III.: Of the Causes By Which the Amount of the Numbers of Mankind Is Reduced Or Restrained. Chapter I.: Futility of Mr. Malthus's Doctrine Respecting the Checks On Population. Chapter II.: Of Deaths and the Rate of Human Mortality. Chapter III.: Attempt Towards a Rational Theory of the Checks On Population. PLL v5 (generated January 22, 2010) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1720 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind Chapter IV.: Attempt Towards a Rational Theory of the Checks On Population Continued. Chapter V.: Mr. Malthus's Eleven Heads of the Causes Which Keep Down Population Considered. Chapter VI.: Observations On the Countries In the Neighbourhood of the River Missouri. Book IV.: Of the Population of the United States of North America. Chapter I.: Introduction. Chapter II.: Of the Topography and Political Condition of the United States. Chapter III.: History of Emigration From Europe to North America In the Seventeenth Century. Chapter IV.: History of Emigration to North America From the Year 1700 to the Present Time . Chapter V.: Retrospect of the History of Population In the United States. Chapter VI.: Of the Amount of Births In the United States. Chapter VII.: Of the Period At Which Marriages Are Formed.. Chapter VIII.: Diseases In the Territory of the United States. Chapter IX.: Reports of the Population of the United States Analysed and Examined. Book V.: Of the Means Which the Earth Affords For the Subsistence of Man. Chapter I.: Of the Present State of the Globe As It Relates to Human Subsistence. Chapter II.: Of the Number of Human Beings Which the Globe Is Capable of Maintaining On Our Present Systems of Husbandry and Cultivation. Chapter III.: Calculation of the Productive Powers of the Soil of England and Wales. Chapter IV.: Causes of the Scarcity of the Means of Human Subsistence. Chapter V.: Causes of the Scarcity of the Means of Human Subsistence Continued. Chapter VI.: Of the Improvements of Which the Productiveness of the Globe For the Purposes of Human Subsistence Is Capable Chapter VII.: Of the Principles of a Sound Policy On the Subject of Population. Book VI.: Of the Moral and Political Maxims Inculcated In the Essay On Population. Chapter I.: Character and Spirit of the Essay On Population Delineated. Chapter II.: Of the Positions Respecting the Nature of Man Upon Which the Essay On Population Is Constructed. Chapter III.: Of the Doctrines of the Essay On Population As They Affect the Principles of Morality. Chapter IV.: Of the Doctrines of the Essay On Population As They Affect the Condition of the Poor. Chapter V.: Of the Doctrines of the Essay On Population As They Affect the Condition of the Rich. Chapter VI.: Of Marriage, and the Persons Who May Justifiably Enter Into That State. Chapter VII.: A Few Contradictions In the Essay On Population Stated. Chapter VIII.: Of Wages. Chapter IX.: Conclusion. PLL v5 (generated January 22, 2010) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1720 Online Library of Liberty: Of Population. An Enquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind [Back to Table of Contents] PREFACE. It happens to men sometimes, where they had it in their thoughts to set forward and advance some mighty benefit to their fellow creatures, not merely to fail in giving substance and efficacy to the sentiment that animated them, but also to realise and bring on some injury to the party they purposed to serve. Such is my case, if the speculations that have now been current for nearly twenty years, and which had scarcely been heard of before, are to be henceforth admitted, as forming an essential branch of the science of politics. When I wrote my Enquiry concerning Political Justice, I flattered myself that there was no mean probability that I should render an important service to mankind. I had warmed my mind with all that was great and illustrious in the republics of Greece and Rome, which had been favourite subjects of meditation with me, almost from my infancy. I became further animated by the spectacle of the Revolutions of America and France, the former of which commenced when I was just twenty years of age, [though I never approved of the mode in which the latter was effected, and the excesses which to a certain degree marked its very beginning] and by the speculations, which in England, and other parts of Europe, among learned men and philosophers, preceded, and contributed to, and have in some measure attended upon, and accompanied, every step of these events. [I thought it was possible to collect whatever existed that was best and most liberal in the science of politics, to condense it, to arrange it more into a system, and to carry it somewhat farther, than had been done by any preceding writer.